1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to actuators, especially, an actuator based on carbon nanotubes (CNT) and applications using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
The actuator is a device used to convert the other energy into mechanical energy. The type of the actuator usually includes electrostatic drive actuator, magnetic drive actuator, and thermal drive actuator, such as electro-thermal actuator. Conventional electro-thermal actuator is a membrane structure of which main material is polymer. When a current is applied, a temperature of the polymer is increased, which can lead to a sensible volume expansion of the polymer, and then the membrane structure bends and the electro-thermal actuator is activated. Thus, electrode materials of the electro-thermal actuator are required to be excellent conductive, flexible, and thermally stable due to its operating principle.
Composite materials containing carbon nanotubes are conductive and already being used for electro-thermal actuator. When a current is applied, the electro-thermal composite materials containing carbon nanotubes can generate heat. Then a volume of the electro-thermal composite materials is expanded and the electro-thermal composite materials bends. Conventional electro-thermal composite materials include a flexible polymer matrix and carbon nanotubes dispersed in the flexible polymer matrix. However, deformation of conventional electro-thermal composite materials is not large enough, and a response rate of conventional electro-thermal composite materials is slow. Improvement in the art is preferred.
What is needed, therefore, is an actuator based on carbon nanotubes and applications using the same that overcomes the problems as discussed above.